Cathode Active Material & Precursor Manufacturing worked example

Rework Cost at 58% mass requiring rework: a worked example in cathode active material & precursor manufacturing

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop mass requiring rework to 58%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate the cost to rework off-spec CAM or precursor through re-milling, re-drying, re-calcination, blending, re-testing, or downgrade disposition.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Reworkable CAM or precursor mass: 100 kg (held at the documented default)
  • Variable rework cost: 45 $ / kg (held at the documented default)
  • Mass requiring rework: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed rework setup cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Variable rework cost subtotal = reworkable CAM or precursor mass × variable rework cost × mass requiring rework.
  • Total CAM rework cost works out to 2,860 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Effective rework cost per kg held works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable rework cost subtotal works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed rework setup cost works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where mass requiring rework sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to mass requiring rework, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It assumes a single rework pass at a known cost; multi-pass rework, yield loss during rework, and the risk that reworked material fails a second time are not modeled and can materially raise the true cost.

Results at a glance

  • Total CAM rework cost: 2,860 $ (headline result)
  • Effective rework cost per kg held: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Variable rework cost subtotal: 2,610 $
  • Fixed rework setup cost: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Rework Cost calculator, set mass requiring rework to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.